


crown to heart

by oceanaa



Series: The Adventures of Rey (Djarin-Skywalker) [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Dynamics, Gen, Keldabe Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29316345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceanaa/pseuds/oceanaa
Summary: This was allowed, now. The Mandalorian’s shoulder was warm and steady, and not only that, she feltsafewhen she was leaning against him.A goodnight before a goodbye.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Rey, Rey & Luke Skywalker
Series: The Adventures of Rey (Djarin-Skywalker) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2102853
Comments: 6
Kudos: 136





	crown to heart

**Author's Note:**

> oops! all soft

The first time it happened, Rey was barely awake.

After a long day of staff drills with Master Luke and Finn, she curled up against the Mandalorian’s shoulder, Grogu carefully cradled in her lap. This was allowed, now. While physical contact still sometimes spooked her, and it was more than a little overwhelming at times, the Mandalorian’s shoulder was warm and steady, and not only that, she felt _safe_ when she was leaning against him.

It was the Mandalorian’s last night on Yavin, and while Rey knew he needed to return to his planet, the thought of him leaving was more painful than she’d expected. So she’d trailed after him as he returned to his house, and he sat on the bed and let her sit next to him without comment.

That night, he told her the story of how he found Grogu, and how the little child became his son. His voice was soft even through the modulator of the helmet, the tinny effect now a comfort. He told her of a bounty hunter droid turned nurse, of the Mandalorian’s he’d met, of his friends and allies and enemies alike. He told her of the first dark troopers he faced, and of how he won the Darksaber and the burden that came with it.

“Wait-“ she sat up quickly, which disturbed Grogu’s peaceful slumber. He trilled at her in annoyance, and she ran her fingers over his head in a silent apology. “You’re- _you’re_ the Mand’alor?”

The Mandalorian shifted, helmeted gaze as neutral as ever. He wasn’t wearing the rest of his armor, but the helmet was still a constant. “Yes. Did I not mention that?”

She stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock, eyes wide.

He tilted his head. “That’s why I have to return..”

She blinked at him, then narrowed her eyes. “If you’re the Mand’alor, can’t you just… make a rule that says you can stay here? Like how Master Luke changed the rules about marriage?”

He huffed a quiet laugh, shoulder shaking slightly, the rough fabric of his flight suit rubbing against Rey’s cheek not unpleasantly. “I have a duty to my planet, to my people.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she mumbled, even if she didn’t like it. Then, she had an idea. “Could… could we come there? To visit you?” Her voice shook at the words, but she tried not to sound as nervous as she felt.

The Mandalorian watched her in silence for a long moment, and if it weren’t for the steady warmth and gentle affection she’d grown used to constantly radiating from him, Rey would’ve thought she offended him.

“Yes,” he finally said. “You are always welcome to visit.” After a second, he added, “And I will still visit you and the others here. I promise.”

A few months ago, Rey never would’ve believed that promise. Now, she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his shoulder and knew he meant it.

Her father’s words still rang in her ears, the quiet whisper of _“Trust the Mand’alor.”_

And she did. She trusted the Mandalorian, the _Mand’alor._ She trusted him with every fiber in her being.

“Will you tell me more about Mandalore?” Rey asked, blinking up at him slowly. He nodded, and she tucked her face back against his shoulder, letting her eyes slip shut again.

As he told her about the planet he, apparently, ruled, Rey slowly drifted off until she was only half awake, her head heavy against his shoulder. When she nodded off for just a second, his voice paused, and she felt him shift.

“You should get to bed, little one,” he said, though he did not move from his place as her living pillow.

Rey didn’t move from her place, too comfortable and too tired, even if she knew she should go back to her room. It was good to develop consistent patterns, according to Master Luke, so she tried not to fall asleep in the Mandalorian’s house too often.

“Rey,” he tried again, and this time, she looked up. Even though she’d heard it plenty of times before, it was still strange to hear him say her name with such gentleness; it was still strange to hear _anyone_ say it like that. 

“If… if you’re the Mand’alor,” she said, then paused to yawn. “Then- ah, then is that what I should call you? Instead of- instead of the Mandalorian?” She’d grown used to the title, even if Ben called him _Master_ _Djarin._

The Mandalorian looked at her for a long second. “You could call me by my name. I wouldn’t mind.”

Rey looked back up at him again, sleepy and bleary as her eyelids drooped. After a long pause, she cleared her throat. “I’m gonna really miss you, Din.” It was more of a mumble, and she looked away as she spoke, suddenly embarrassed. It had been so _long_ since she’d had someone to miss without the fear of never seeing them again.

The Mandalorian - _Din_ \- looked down at her, helmet a shining silver even in the dark of the room. “I will miss you too, _ad’ika.”_ After a beat, he leaned down, and Rey’s eyes went wide as he pressed the crown of his helmet to her forehead.

She’d seen him do this with Master Luke and even with Grogu a few times. She’d seen her parents do it, and could vaguely remember them doing it with her, too, but the memory was faded at best.

Now, Rey did her best to press against the helmet firmly, mouth and eyes both shut tight. She was sleepy and content and it only lasted a few seconds, but when she pulled away to hide against his shoulder again, she was grinning.

“Okay, I’ll go to bed now,” she whispered and hugged Grogu (carefully) before setting him on the bed. “Will you-“ but the Mandalorian (Din, Din) stood up and waited for her to lead the way before she could ask him to come with.

It wasn’t that the walk between his house and her room was scary, not after what she faced. But Rey wanted a few extra minutes before he flew off to Mandalore, and giving in to her own trivial wishes was something she was slowly learning to do.

The walk back to her room was quiet, her soft boots making no sound, and without his armor, the Mandalorian was silent as he walked. The night air was cool, the sky dark, and Rey smiled the entire walk back.

When they reached the hallway of bedrooms, they both paused when they noticed Master Luke’s study door was open, and a light was on. Rey hesitated, then passed her room and went to the wooden door.

Master Luke’s study wasn’t cluttered or decorated with much. There was a stack of old, battered books and holopads and sets of datachips, with his desk pushed to the other side. After Ben left with Leia, Artoo took up residence there, standing guard by the door. Rey gave him a sleepy pat on his round dome, and the droid beeped a lazy hello.

Master Luke sat by the window, staring out at nothing, his cybernetic hand bare. A small, golden light on his desk reflected off the metal joints. When Rey and the Mandalorian entered, he looked up with a sleepy smile.

“Come to say goodnight?” he asked, and turned to face the both of them.

“Um- yes,” Rey mumbled, hands clasped behind her back. The Mandalorian’s hand fell to her shoulder, and she straightened up, the comforting weight offering a small amount of bravery.

She didn’t know why she did it, but on a whim, Rey stepped forward and crossed the space to stand in front of Master Luke. He didn’t stand up, which left them at about the same height. For a long second, she just stared at him. Then, carefully, her hands at her sides, she leaned forward on tiptoe and pressed her forehead to his.

The smile he gave her was so loving Rey looked away, the same embarrassment washing over. But she tried to push it away.

“Goodnight, Rey,” said Master Luke, and when she looked back to him, she blinked. It wasn’t just warmth and love and comfort she saw in his eyes. It was _pride._ Master Luke looked as proud of her in that moment as he did when she executed a training move particularly well or managed to raise an especially large stone without losing control.

She’d felt love from her parents, she knew that. But this? This type of glowing, impossibly genuine pride? It was such a novel experience Rey didn’t know what to do with herself.

But of course, Master Luke understood that. “Now, off to bed with you.” He reached out to pat her arm, then turned to nod to the Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian escorted Rey to her room, and when she reached the door, she turned to him. “You’ll really come back and visit us? And- and we can visit you, too? We can do both? You promise?”

The Mandalorian nodded and placed his hand back on her shoulder. “I promise. We are a clan, now.” He didn’t need to say anything else; Rey knew he meant it.

After another moment of hesitation, she gave him a short nod, then pulled away from his hand. She kicked off her boots, shed her outer tunic, and climbed into bed. When she looked back to the doorway, the Mandalorian was gone. She smiled to herself and curled up under the blankets.

Tomorrow, she told herself, she would teach Finn how to do the forehead touch, and she’d do it to Grogu, too. They were her family, after all.

She fell asleep still smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> ad’ika - child/son/daughter
> 
> not much to say here this is a warm cup of tea after a long day of work xoxo  
> HOWEVER... lads... a multichap part is in the works :) wip title is The Gang Goes to Mandalore :)


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